


What a Waste

by honestgrins



Series: Empty Promises [3]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Day Three - Favorite TO S5 Scene, F/M, KCWeek18
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 10:09:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15883911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honestgrins/pseuds/honestgrins
Summary: It's Klaus's first visit to the Salvatore Boarding School, and Caroline finds him in the memorial garden.





	What a Waste

Caroline clenched the watering can in her hand, her whole body tense with the shock of finding Klaus at Stefan's memorial.  "I thought you were going to spend time with Hope, prepare her for tonight's turning." 

"She and Elijah are still out and about, I need them to patch things up if I'm going to leave her in his care," Klaus explained tiredly. He looked over her his shoulder toward her, eyes landing on the rings she wore around her neck. "I figured I would stay and visit an old friend."

Rolling her eyes, Caroline moved to sit next to him on the bench she had placed in front of the small garden they'd planted in Stefan's honor. "Your first time visiting your daughter's school and you'd rather hang out with ghosts," she sighed. "You know, you'll probably see him soon enough. Tell him I said 'hey,' would you?"

Klaus's smile was a weak thing, fists tight in his jacket pockets. "I doubt he'll be what welcomes me, wherever I end up. He wasn't exactly my biggest fan." His smile softened into something tender when she slipped an arm through his. "I told him to let you go, once upon a time, when he couldn't do right by you."

"He told me." Caroline tightened her hold on him, her voice thick with sadness. "And I hated you a little for that over the next three years. But you were also right. Look at my wedding night." Not even an hour's wedded bliss and the groom blew himself up. "That stupid husband of mine was good at two things, saving the world and breaking my heart." Her hand raised to play with her necklace as a tear rolled down her cheek. "God, I loved him. I wish it was easier to hate him, just a little."

"Will you hate me?"

Caroline shrugged, the warmth of him so temptingly close. "I wish I could," she answered simply. Her eyes didn't leave the daisies growing like white lights among dark greens and colorful wildflowers. "But you're saving your daughter. Even the world." The mood felt heavy as tears started falling in earnest. "Leave me another check and I'll get you a memorial, too," she joked.

Turning his head, Klaus pressed a kiss to her temple. They sat like that for a long while, longer than he could spare. "I'll leave you to your visit," he finally said.

"Find Hope," Caroline said, letting him pull free. It sounded like a final plea, to find hope of another solution.

She didn't want to build another memorial.


End file.
